Help fund study abroad for Ugandan LGBTQ+ Activist
Donation protected
Alex Kisaka is a Ugandan LGBTQ Human Rights activist and community paralegal currently working as the Head of Programmes for Queer Youth Uganda (QYU). He has experience working with many local LGBT organisations in Uganda providing both programming and consultancy work in the area of Human Rights, and in the community helping to organise the advancement of the rights of LGBT persons in rural areas.
In 2013, the Parliament of Uganda passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, substituting life in prison for the death penalty for the Ugandan LGBT community. In 2014, after international condemnation, the bill was declared invalid. Yet following the passage in 2013, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International tracked surges in violence and discrimination acted against the LGBT community in Uganda. Organisations like Queer Youth Uganda are therefore vital for the protection and support of the LGBTQ community in Uganda who, given the government and society’s stance towards homosexuality, makes them particularly vulnerable to violence and discrimination.
Through Alex’s organisational and programming work, he has mobilised and empowered many young LGBT persons across 23 Districts of Uganda. This includes by facilitating their participation in community Human Rights awareness workshops and outreaches, economic empowerment and job creation training activities, HIV and AIDS sensitisation trainings and helping them to respond to community emergencies that arise out of community hate and attacks on LGBT persons, who have been rejected by their families as well as forcefully evicted by their landlords because of their sexual orientation.
In January of this year, Alex became one of lucky few LGBT activists not only admitted, but awarded a scholarship to the Coady International Leadership Institute at the prestigious St Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Canada to attend an 11 month programme in 'Leadership for Citizen Led Development', starting in April 2020.
The programme will equip him with specific skills in the areas of leadership to advocate and steer the formation of community LGBTQ+ solidarity groups across the different regions of Uganda for proper community organising as well as mobilisation of the community members to take part in development initiatives aimed at protecting and advancing their Human Rights and access to basic service delivery in their respective communities. Furthermore, through the programme, he will be better placed to understand the role of organisations, partnerships, networks, alliances and movements in making change happen by building a strong LGBTQ+ movement in Uganda to advance the rights of sexual minority groups in the country.
Alex needs help in providing the total of 4000 Canadian Dollars for his study fee, which needs paying by March 30th this year. He is an extremely hard-working, committed and caring individual who will, given the chance undoubtedly advance the fight for the safety, equality and acceptance of LGBTQ+ persons in Uganda. I met Alex during my time in Uganda and was impressed by his dedication to this cause and his professionalism as the Head of Programs at Queer Youth Uganda.
Thank-you so much for taking the time to read this and contributing towards Alex’s study program and his promising future as an activist and pioneer for equal rights and the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda.
Alex Kisaka Acceptance Letter
https://www.queeryouthuganda.org/
In 2013, the Parliament of Uganda passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, substituting life in prison for the death penalty for the Ugandan LGBT community. In 2014, after international condemnation, the bill was declared invalid. Yet following the passage in 2013, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International tracked surges in violence and discrimination acted against the LGBT community in Uganda. Organisations like Queer Youth Uganda are therefore vital for the protection and support of the LGBTQ community in Uganda who, given the government and society’s stance towards homosexuality, makes them particularly vulnerable to violence and discrimination.
Through Alex’s organisational and programming work, he has mobilised and empowered many young LGBT persons across 23 Districts of Uganda. This includes by facilitating their participation in community Human Rights awareness workshops and outreaches, economic empowerment and job creation training activities, HIV and AIDS sensitisation trainings and helping them to respond to community emergencies that arise out of community hate and attacks on LGBT persons, who have been rejected by their families as well as forcefully evicted by their landlords because of their sexual orientation.
In January of this year, Alex became one of lucky few LGBT activists not only admitted, but awarded a scholarship to the Coady International Leadership Institute at the prestigious St Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Canada to attend an 11 month programme in 'Leadership for Citizen Led Development', starting in April 2020.
The programme will equip him with specific skills in the areas of leadership to advocate and steer the formation of community LGBTQ+ solidarity groups across the different regions of Uganda for proper community organising as well as mobilisation of the community members to take part in development initiatives aimed at protecting and advancing their Human Rights and access to basic service delivery in their respective communities. Furthermore, through the programme, he will be better placed to understand the role of organisations, partnerships, networks, alliances and movements in making change happen by building a strong LGBTQ+ movement in Uganda to advance the rights of sexual minority groups in the country.
Alex needs help in providing the total of 4000 Canadian Dollars for his study fee, which needs paying by March 30th this year. He is an extremely hard-working, committed and caring individual who will, given the chance undoubtedly advance the fight for the safety, equality and acceptance of LGBTQ+ persons in Uganda. I met Alex during my time in Uganda and was impressed by his dedication to this cause and his professionalism as the Head of Programs at Queer Youth Uganda.
Thank-you so much for taking the time to read this and contributing towards Alex’s study program and his promising future as an activist and pioneer for equal rights and the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda.
Alex Kisaka Acceptance Letter
https://www.queeryouthuganda.org/
Organizer
Francesca Warley
Organizer
